An Unearthly Man
by Slughorn42
Summary: On the 23rd day of the month of November, in an early year of a decade not too long before our own, a science-fiction legend was born. And this new phenomenon surfaced, as such phenomena often do, at 15 minutes past 5 on a Saturday evening.
1. Chapter 1

The silence in the TARDIS control room was suffocating. The Doctor was once again alone with his thoughts. His latest companion was spending some much deserved time back home. Whenever he was lonely, the Doctor's thoughts inevitably turned to River.

He had only recently taken her to see the Singing Towers of Darillium, given her the sonic screwdriver just like she had said and kissed her goodbye. But he knew it would not be the last time he saw her, for there was still one more loose end to tie up: he had yet to tell her his name. He could not be sure exactly when in her timeline this was supposed to happen, but he knew the day was fast approaching for him. Ever since Amy and Rory's final encounter with the Weeping Angels, he had been careful about divulging too much information to River, so he was not looking forward to revealing his greatest secret.

He decided it was time to accept his destiny and set the coordinates for the Stormcage Containment Facility. The TARDIS materialized at the end of a long cellblock. The Doctor emerged and walked stealthily until he came to River's cell. He found her scribbling furiously in her diary.

"Hello, sweetie!" the Doctor said cheerfully. River jumped up in surprise.

"Oh, you scared me half to death!" she said breathlessly. She looked at the Doctor in a way that made him feel uneasy.

"I see you're updating your diary," he said.

"Yes," she replied. "Spoilers, of course."

"Of course," he repeated. Normally, he did not enquire further. But given that he knew the inevitable was coming he felt he needed a push in the right direction. "Visit any planets recently?"

"Why do you want to know?" she asked.

"Well, it's just that I don't like the idea of you being stuck in your cell all day with nothing to do. I know it's part of our agreement but I think getting out every now and then is what makes life worth living for you."

"It does indeed. But you shouldn't worry about me, dear. You just go off and have your own adventures."

"Can't you give me one tiny hint about what you've been up to?"

She became cross. "Listen," she said testily. "You know I can't tell you anything about your own future. That's how it's been between us since… well, whenever we first meet, I suppose."

"That's in _your _future."

"Right," she said with a sigh. "It's not like I want to keep secrets from you. I mean, the minute I got back from Trenza-" She clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Trenzalore?" the Doctor said. River was silent. He nodded. "I see. Well, I suppose I should be on my way, then."

"You're sure you don't want to stay just a little bit longer?" she asked hesitantly.

"No, you know me. I have places to go and… people to see." He turned and headed back towards the TARDIS.

"Yes," River said wistfully. "I know."

* * *

Trenzalore. The name had haunted the Doctor ever since Dorium had told him of the prophecy: "On the fields of Trenzalore at the fall of the Eleventh, when no living creature can speak falsely or fail to answer, a question will be asked—one that must never be answered. And Silence _must_ fall when the question is asked." And now he knew for sure that River had been there. If he were interpreting the prophecy correctly, it meant the Silence would no longer be a threat. But it also meant the end of his current incarnation. While he had lived in this body for hundreds of years, he was not entirely sure he was ready to give it up. Regeneration had always been a gamble for him and he could not assume that he would prefer the new body to the old one.

The most confusing aspect of the prophecy was that the Doctor could not shake the feeling that he had heard the name Trenzalore somewhere before. Sometimes, if he closed his eyes and concentrated hard enough, he saw flashes of what appeared to be a grassy field with figures dotted throughout the landscape. He tried to make out what they looked like, but it was as if his memory was being blocked. With only these blurry visions to go on, the Doctor could not rule out the possibility that he had visited Trenzalore at some point in his past.

His ruminations were interrupted by a distress signal on the TARDIS monitor. He checked the coordinates and found it was coming from England in the early 21st century.

"What else is new?" he muttered. He landed the TARDIS and stepped outside. It was a clear night, which meant he had no trouble seeing the building he had landed next to: the old UNIT headquarters. It was boarded up and looked ready for demolition but there was no doubt. He was standing right in front of the laboratory where he and Jo had worked endless hours trying to defeat the Master's plans. He turned his head to the right and saw the garage where he had kept Bessie. What ever happened to the old girl? Sold for scrap, most likely. So many memories.

"I thought you'd appreciate meeting me at your old stomping grounds," a voice from behind him said. The Doctor turned around and saw Captain Jack Harkness walking towards him.

"Jack!" the Doctor exclaimed. "It's been…"

"Ages?" Jack said with a grin. He stopped walking abruptly. "Wait a minute. I have to make sure you really are the Doctor. Tell me something only he would know."

The Doctor thought a moment. "Are you my mummy?" he said. Jack laughed.

"I guess you really haven't changed a bit. Are you alone?"

"Yes, for the moment. How are things with you? Torchwood still going strong?"

"Those days are over, Doctor. I'm striking out on my own. I have to say I'm actually kind of surprised you're here."

"What do you mean? I always come when I'm called."

"Well, I mean the bow tie-wearing you. To be honest, I was expecting-" Before Jack could finish his sentence, he and the Doctor became distracted by a familiar noise. They both looked at the TARDIS and were shocked to see a nearly identical police box materialize next to it. The doors of this new vessel opened and out stepped a skinny man wearing a pinstripe suit with a long brown coat.

"Jack!" the Doctor exclaimed. "It's been ages!" He looked at his future self and smiled. "Who's your friend here?"


	2. Chapter 2

Jack was speechless. After an awkward pause, he finally managed to get his words out.

"He's uh… he's… he's you," Jack sputtered.

The Doctor's smile faded. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Because I recently spent Christmas with a chap called Jackson Lake who insisted _he _was the Doctor but it turned out-"

"He'd just been exposed to some of our memories by the Cybermen," the Eleventh Doctor interjected. "I remember." The Tenth Doctor nodded.

"Well," Ten said as his smile returned, "This certainly is a surprise. I must say I wasn't expecting to meet myself again. Especially not a me with, er, such an interesting dress sense. If you don't mind my asking, what's with the bow tie?"

"It's cool," Eleven said.

"Ah, Ten replied. "Right. To each my own, I guess. So, we're at the old UNIT headquarters. It sure has seen better days. Blimey, imagine what the Brigadier would say if he were here." Eleven looked away awkwardly.

"Hang on a second!" Jack said, turning to Eleven. "If you're the future version of him, shouldn't you remember this meeting?"

"No," Eleven said, shaking his head. "You see, whenever a Time Lord comes into contact with another incarnation their memory of the incident is automatically suppressed by the Blinovitch Limitation Effect."

"The what?"

"It's one of the primary laws of temporal physics. It ensures that the timeline is preserved when irregularities such as this occur. My past self here will forget this ever happened the moment he returns to his own time stream. The question is how he can even be here in the first place."

"I received a distress signal," Ten said.

"Yeah," Eleven said. "So did I."

"And I'm the one who sent it," Jack explained. "I think the fact that there are two of you here has something to do with the space-time anomalies I've detected."

"What kind of anomalies?" Ten asked.

"Some of them are hardly noticeable. Things like letters being delivered before they're written or children having the memories of an eighty-year-old. Others are more obvious. Apparently, UNIT had to deal with a group of 13th-century monks who'd fallen through a time rift. The point is these things aren't occurring on their own. Someone or something is causing them and I need your help to find out what's behind them."

"Well, let's see what the TARDIS can do," Eleven said and began walking in the direction of his ship.

"Why do we have to use your TARDIS?" Ten asked incredulously.

"Because it's more advanced than yours."

"Oh, all right." Ten and Jack followed Eleven into his TARDIS. "I see you've redecorated," Ten said as he looked around. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry but I just don't like it."

"This is no time for debates about interior design," Eleven snapped. "We need to determine what's making time all wibbly-wobbly." He pushed some buttons on the console and looked at the monitor. "I see you were right, Jack. The TARDIS is detecting space-time anomalies all over the place. And not just on Earth but throughout the cosmos."

"Can you pinpoint an origin?" Jack asked. The Doctor pushed some more buttons and the monitor screen zoomed in on a planet.

"Karn," he said. The two Doctors looked at each other.

"You've been there before?" Jack asked.

"Yes. With Sarah Jane," Eleven replied. "From what I can remember of its history, at this point in time it was under the control of… the Terrible Zodin."

"And who would that be?"

"Someone you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of. And I'm afraid I've already done that."

"So you've met this Zodin person?"

"Yes but I don't remember much. She has the ability to manipulate memories, you see, as a way of covering her tracks."

"And you think she's behind all this?"

"It wouldn't surprise me. Her main goal in life is to cause mischief. She's probably doing this just to combat the boredom of ruling over the desolate landscape of Karn."

"Listen," Ten said. "Before we even think about confronting her, we have to deal with the fact that she's always guarded by horrible creatures. I doubt the three of us could handle them on our own. We'd need someone who's not afraid to use weapons and can be relied upon to survive against incredible odds."

Eleven's face lit up. "I know just whom you mean," he said.

* * *

"Madame Vastra! Jenny!" Eleven said as he stuck his head out the TARDIS doors. "I need you!" The Silurian and her maid entered the parlor where the TARDIS was parked.

"Well, hello again, Doctor," Vastra said. "What is it this time?"

"We have to deal with an enemy more powerful than any you've faced before so be sure to bring the swords." Vastra and Jenny nodded and went to fetch their katanas.

"So who are these people again?" Ten asked.

"Oh, just some nice ladies I bumped into," Eleven replied. "One of them is a Silurian but don't hold that against her."

"At least I know I keep interesting company in the future."

Vastra and Jenny entered the TARDIS. "We're ready, Doctor," Vastra said. "Just lead the way."

"Certainly," Eleven said. "But first let me introduce my previous incarnation." Vastra shook Ten's hand.

"A pleasure," she said. "Ever since you told me about regeneration, I wondered if I would meet another version of you."

"Today's the day!" Ten said and smiled.

"No offense, Doctor," Vastra said to Eleven, "But I think this one has the better smile."

"I beg to differ," Jenny said.

"As usual," Vastra retorted.

"And this is Captain Jack Harkness," Eleven said. "Formerly a Time Agent from the 51st-Century. He's now on his own and let's just say you won't have to worry about him dying on this mission."

"It's a honor to meet you, ladies," Jack said with a grin. "If you don't mind my saying, I love a woman who knows how to wield a sword." Vastra and Jenny looked at each other and shrugged.

"Er, Jack," Eleven said tentatively. "Don't. Just don't."

"Sure. Fine. If you say so," Jack said, eyeing Vastra and Jenny with suspicion.

"Right then," Eleven said as he manned the console. "Off to Karn to have a little chat with none other than the Terrible Zodin herself!"


	3. Chapter 3

The TARDIS settled softly on the rocky terrain of Karn. The five of them made their way down a steep hill until they came to a clearing.

"So, there it is," Eleven said. "The Terrible Zodin's palace." From where they were standing, they had an unobstructed view of the palace. "And look who's guarding it. Tractators, Vervoids and Tetraps." He turned to Vastra. "Do you think you can handle them?"

"I don't see why not," she replied. "They don't look nearly as intimidating as the Headless Monks."

"If you ask me, it looks like they're made out of rubber," Jack said.

"Shhh!" Ten said, giving Jack a stern look. Vastra and Jenny drew their swords and marched steadily towards the palace entrance.

"So who exactly is this 'Terrible Zodin'?" Jack asked.

"Well," Eleven said, "She once ruled over a vast empire whose people eventually became fed up with her and had her exiled. She took revenge by developing a virus that wiped them all out."

"She committed genocide on her own people?"

"Yes," Eleven replied. He shared a knowing look with Ten. "Since then she's been travelling from planet to planet trying to conquer as much of the known universe as she can. She's a master manipulator. Planets with weak regimes bend to her will easily while the stronger ones banish her to wastelands like this."

"But how could she possibly have caused all those space-time anomalies?"

"Throughout her conquests, she's managed to collect a great amount of advanced technology. That's how she picked up the ability to manipulate memories."

"And now she can manipulate the Web of Time itself," Ten said. "She has to have a larger goal in mind than just causing mischief on a cosmic scale."

"Well, that's what we're here to find out," Eleven said. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around. Vastra and Jenny had returned. "Did they give you any trouble?"

"None at all," Vastra said. "I've dealt with tougher opponents in my own kitchen. Namely rats."

"I do my best to keep it as clean as possible for you," Jenny said testily.

"Of course, but I do enjoy a good rat every now and then."

"Ladies, if you don't mind, I think we should be getting on with our mission," Eleven said, gesturing towards the palace. The others nodded in agreement and followed him until they reached the front door. They stepped over the bodies of the slain guards and examined it.

"It's a good thing it's not made of wood," Ten said. "Otherwise, this wouldn't work." He pulled out the sonic screwdriver and used it to open the door.

"I remember that particular model," Eleven said, pointing at the screwdriver. "I never did get around to fixing that hairdryer problem."

"Don't you have one of your own?" Ten asked.

"Well, I did but… you know, spoilers and all that."

"I see," Ten nodded, somewhat apprehensively. "Right then, everybody. Allons-y!" They entered a large foyer filled with cobwebs. Beyond it lay a long corridor lined with statues of previous rulers of Karn. Eventually, they reached the cavernous throne room. In its center, the Terrible Zodin sat atop her throne looking more smug and self-satisfied than a Cheshire cat. She was a pale yet striking woman wearing an ornate gown that perfectly complimented her expression.

"Well, Doctor, it's about time," she said flirtatiously.

"It certainly is," Eleven replied. "These anomalies you've been causing are why we're here."

"More than one of you I see. And you've brought some freaky friends, as well." Vastra took a menacing step forward but Jenny held her back.

"We're not here to chat," Eleven said. "We want to know why you feel the need to bend the rules of time and space however you see fit. Is it boredom? Experimentation? The desire to conquer the universe?"

"Ah, those are very good guesses but I'm afraid the explanation is far simpler, Doctor. I wanted to attract your attention."

"Really?" Eleven could not stop himself from smiling. "That's going a bit far just to ask me out on a date, isn't it?"

"No, you silly boy. You're thinking of the last time we were together. Of course, that did turn out rather well for the both of us." She winked at him. Jack, Vastra and Jenny looked at the two Doctors.

"Don't look at us!" Ten said. "We told you she can alter memories."

"Yes, that does come in handy," the Zodin said. "But I've brought you here to witness something none of you will ever forget. Nothing less than my greatest triumph. You see this?" She indicated a jewel-encrusted lever that stuck out of her throne's right armrest. "Now watch what happens when I pull it." Before anyone could stop her, the Zodin pulled the lever and a time rift opened up next to the throne. It emitted a light that was practically blinding.

"Listen," Eleven said, stepping forward. "I can't let you-" But the Zodin did not allow him to finish his sentence. Instead, she promptly stood up and ran into the rift.

"Should we follow her?" Jenny asked.

"I don't think so," Ten replied. "We'd end up who-knows-where and who-knows-when without a TARDIS. Believe me, you don't want to find yourself in that situation."

"Tell me about it," Jack said knowingly. "Although, I do still have my vortex manipulator. A few adjustments with your sonic screwdriver and it'll work again."

"Only in an emergency, Jack. We're not in one of those… yet."

"Why don't we just seal the rift?" Vastra asked. "Trap her before she can return?"

"That would be an excellent plan… except we don't know what she's planning just yet," Eleven said. "We need to find out what the ramifications of her actions are. So our only option is to wait." A few moments later, the Zodin returned and threw a struggling man onto the floor. The new arrival quickly got up and brushed himself off. He was a disheveled-looking man dressed in a blue leather jacket with a brown satchel strapped over his shoulder. He looked at his surroundings, taking everything in and then rounded on the Zodin.

"You!" he cried. "What the hell do you think you're doing! Where am I? Why have you brought me here?" The Zodin said nothing.

"Jack, Vastra, Jenny," Eleven said slowly. "I would like to introduce you to… my eighth incarnation." The man turned to face Eleven.

"You mean that you're…" he said.

"Yes. I'm number eleven and this is number ten. And if I'm not mistaken, you're in the middle of-"

"Fighting the Time War," Eight said. "At least I was until she intervened." He shot a disdainful look at the Zodin.

"But if you're here now," Ten said, "That means the timeline will be changed. Without you to end the war, the Daleks will be victorious."

"Precisely," the Zodin said with a smirk. "I told you this would be my greatest triumph."

"Not quite," Eight snapped. "All I have to do is go back through the rift and my future selves can seal it behind me. Some triumph, Zodin! You seem to have forgotten the fact that I have free will!"

"Do you?" she said and glanced at the rift just as a well-dressed elderly woman stepped through it. She was carrying a battered suitcase and had tears in her eyes.

"Grandfather?" she said, looking at Eight.

"Susan!" all three Doctors cried simultaneously.

"That's right!" the Zodin yelled and immediately grabbed Susan by the throat. With her free hand, she reached under the throne's cushion and took out a gleaming ray gun. She held it against Susan's head and smiled maliciously. "You thought you had free will, Doctor, but as you see it's not as easy as that. You now have only two choices. Either you stay on this side of the rift or your granddaughter dies."


	4. Chapter 4

The Doctors looked at one another, unsure of what their next move should be. The Zodin had her left hand clasped over Susan's mouth and was pressing the gun so tightly against her head it was beginning to draw blood.

"Look," Eight said finally, "I've been through a hell of a lot in this body. More than I could ever possibly hope to tell you about. So if you think I'm going to let you terrorize my granddaughter like this, you're even crazier than I thought. At least give us some answers. How did you find us?"

"I've studied your personal history very closely, Doctor," the Zodin replied. "It's a well-known fact that you left Susan on 22nd-century Earth after the Dalek invasion was defeated. You swore to her you would return someday and indeed you did. I was able to pinpoint the exact moment you stepped out of the TARDIS expecting to reunite with her, knowing she'd be the perfect bargaining chip to keep you on this side of the rift."

Eight looked away from her in disgust and turned to his future selves. "Right," he said forcefully, "I don't give a damn about the blessed Laws of Time anymore. You two have already lived through this mess. Just tell me what happens to Susan. Will she be all right?" Ten and Eleven looked at each other in confusion.

"Well, actually," Ten said, "I honestly don't know. I have no memory of going to fetch Susan during the Time War. I just assumed she lived out the rest of her life on Earth."

"Same here," Eleven said. "This is all, er, news to me."

"Of course," Eight said with a sigh. "The blasted Blinovitch Limitation Effect. I should've known." He turned to face his horrified granddaughter. "I'm sorry, Susan. There's nothing I can do."

Eleven noticed the suitcase Susan had dropped to the floor when the Zodin grabbed her. "Where were you planning to take her?" he asked.

"The safest place I could think of," Eight said. "An isolated planet that very few races know of. One where she wouldn't have to worry about the Daleks finding her. A planet called Trenzalore."

Eleven's face turned white. He began sweating profusely. His previous selves and companions looked puzzled.

"Something wrong, Doctor?" Jenny asked. Eleven opened his mouth as if to answer but a thought occurred to him and he looked up instead. Sure enough, the ceiling of the throne room was home to a nest of hibernating Silents.

"All right, everyone," he said, keeping his eyes trained on the sleeping aliens, "I need you all to look at the ceiling for me while I talk to the Zodin."

"Why can't you talk to her now?" Ten asked.

"Because I'll forget what's on the ceiling the moment I look away. Just do it!" They did as they were told. Jenny gasped and Vastra hissed but the others were intrigued.

"What _are _those things?" Jack asked.

"They call themselves the Silence," Eleven explained. "You forgot you've seen them when you're not looking at them so whatever you do, DON'T look away. Got it?"

"Got it," Eight replied.

"Good," Eleven said and lowered his head. He immediately became confused. "Sorry, what was I talking about just now?"

"Those horrible creatures on the ceiling," Vastra said.

"Oh, right," Eleven said and rounded on the Zodin. "I know you think this scheme was all your doing, but it wasn't."

"What do you mean?" the Zodin said flippantly.

"I mean you were manipulated by a religious order known as the Silence. It's all part of a plan to prevent me from reaching Trenzalore. Now that I think about it, you were the perfect vessel for their plot. Since you too have the ability to erase memories, they could use you to cover their tracks."

"And you expect me to believe such a convoluted story?"

"Look up at the ceiling and you'll see!"

"You think I'm so gullible that you can distract me like that? Well, nice try!" She pushed Susan away and pointed the gun at the Doctor. "As you know, Doctor, I am the last of my kind. You thought you were the last remaining Gallifreyan until your friend the Master showed up and now your granddaughter has been returned to you. But I'm afraid this reunion will be short-lived." She advanced on him in such a way that the others averted their eyes from the ceiling and focused on the Zodin. "We are both the killers of own kind. I did it because they rejected me when only _I _had the authority to rule their empire. And you did it to end the most destructive war the universe has ever seen. But thanks to me, that war will now end in a Dalek victory!"

"You're mad!" Eleven cried. "Surely you know the Daleks exterminate all other life forms. You're worth no more to them than a flea!"

"Even if they do come after me, it will have been worth it just to put end to your mucking about in time and space. You see, ever since you and she-" she nodded towards Susan "-first left Gallifrey, you've been sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong. Many rulers like myself have been dethroned simply because that blue box of yours turned up on their planet. You had no business meddling in their affairs and now I'm going to avenge them all by pulling this trigger. Both your hearts will stop instantly so regeneration is out of the question. It's been fun Doctor but now your time has-" The gun was suddenly whipped out of the Zodin's hands by Vastra's tongue. It flew through the air for a second before shattering into pieces on the floor. The Zodin screamed and ran to where her only weapon lay in bits.

"Not so threatening now, are you?" Vastra said, brandishing her sword.

"Damn!" the Zodin cried, ignoring her. She was desperately trying to put the gun back together, to no avail. "I knew I should never have trusted the Ogrons to build me an indestructible weapon. They're even stupider than the Sontarans!" She suddenly realized that she was surrounded by the Doctors and their companions. "Well then, you may have bested me but you still have the Daleks to deal with. I'm sick to death of Karn, anyway. Seeing as Earth is still being rebuilt, I believe it's ripe for the taking!" Before anyone could stop her, the Zodin ran back into the rift.

Vastra and Jenny looked at Eleven, who nodded silently. They nodded back and followed her. "Let's find out if she's as easy prey as her guards were," Vastra said as she and Jenny slipped through the rift.

"Who was that awful woman?" Susan asked exasperatedly.

"She called herself the Terrible Zodin," Eleven said. "She wasn't exactly right in the head."

"That much is obvious," Susan said. She picked up her suitcase and examined each Doctor carefully. "So you're all my grandfather? The last time there was more than one of you, we ended up in the Tomb of Rassilon on Gallifrey."

"Yes, but this is not the time to reminisce," Eleven said. "We need to decide what to do with you two." He indicated both Eight and Susan.

"Oh, don't worry," Eight said. "We'll travel through the rift and be on our way to Trenzalore."

Eleven shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not so simple," he said. "You see, there's a prophecy that involves me, Trenzalore and the Silence. To make a long story short, I have to be there in my current incarnation in order for the Silence to be defeated. So it seems the only course of action is for all of us to take Susan to safety and then return you to the Time War so you can fix whatever damage the Zodin's done. But we must hurry before the changes to the timeline catch up with us. I don't how long we have before that happens."

Eight looked at Susan who shrugged. "Why not?" she said. "He may not look older than you, grandfather, but he's obviously more experienced." She smiled and the Doctors could not help but smile as well.

"This whole day has been one surprise after another," Jack said, turning to Ten. "You never told me you had a granddaughter. To be honest, I never really thought of you as a family man."

"Yes, well," Ten said, rubbing the back of his neck, "we all have our secrets don't we, Jack?"

"You mean like your real name, for instance?" Jack replied.

Eleven suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right," he said hesitantly. "Before we drop Susan off, we have to pick someone up. Her name is River Song." Ten stared at Eleven.

"Why?" he asked pointedly.

"She's part of the prophecy, too," Eleven replied.

"Is she your latest travelling companion?" Susan asked.

"She's, er, a bit more than that actually. She's, well, sort of my wife."

"WHAT?" Eight cried.

"That's what I was afraid of," Ten said, hanging his head.

"Goodness gracious!" Susan said, her eyes widening. "What would grandmother say?"

"Congratulations Doctor!" Jack said, slapping Eleven on the back. "I knew you were still a ladies' man deep down!"

"It's actually more complicated than that," Eleven said, brushing Jack off. "But regardless, I'm sure she'll be pleased to, er, meet you all."

"Yes," Ten said as he stared off into space. "I'm sure she will be." Vastra and Jenny returned through the rift.

"It's time to get back to the TARDIS," Eleven said to them. "We need to make a slight detour on our way to Trenzalore."

"After you, Doctor," Jenny replied and they all followed him out of the throne room and down the corridor.

"I must say," Vastra remarked as she and Jenny wiped the blood off their swords, "that Zodin woman was unlike anything I've ever tasted before. Not as hearty as Jack the Ripper perhaps but then not as bland as your average kitchen rat either."


	5. Chapter 5

The TARDIS materialized inside the Stormcage Containment Facility once again. Eleven stepped out and made his way to River's cell. This time, he found her gazing out of the window.

"Were you waiting for me?" he asked.

"Not exactly," she replied. "I was just thinking about our wedding ceremony. About how you pretended to whisper your name in my ear. That's your greatest secret isn't it? Something you wouldn't tell anyone. Not even me."

Eleven looked back at the TARDIS. "Well, actually…" he said.

"What?" River became intrigued.

"I'll be back in just a second." Eleven returned to the TARDIS. "I need your sonic screwdriver," he said to Ten.

"What for?" Ten asked.

"To get River out of her cell."

"She's in prison? What was her crime?"

"You'll find out. Just give me the screwdriver. Please." Ten reluctantly handed it over. "Thank you." Eleven returned to the cell and used the screwdriver to open the door. "Come on," he said to River. "There are some people I want you to meet." They entered the TARDIS and River's eyes widened.

"Well," she said, "This is a certainly a larger entourage than you normally travel with."

"It's a very special occasion," Eleven said. "Allow me to introduce two of my other incarnations."

"I always knew this day would come!" River said excitedly. "When I was at university, I researched all of the Doctors." She pointed at Ten. "You're the one whose hand was cut off shortly after regenerating."

"Yeah, but it found its way back to him, thanks to me!" Jack said. He shook River's hand. "Captain Jack Harkness! Congratulations on your marriage to the Doctor. He's quite a catch, if I do say so myself." River smiled politely and nodded but quickly moved on from Jack.

"And you're the one who-" she started to say to Eight but he interrupted her.

"Please, madam, I don't think my exploits are relevant to the current situation," he said firmly. River looked shocked so Eleven continued his introductions.

"Madame Vastra and Jenny. Useful to have around in a crisis."

"Haven't we already-" Vastra asked but Eleven waved a hand at her.

"And finally, my granddaughter Susan."

"Hello," Susan said flatly.

"My research uncovered rumors of a granddaughter but I didn't know they were true until now," River said. She turned to Eleven. "Only, I thought you were meant to be the last of your kind."

"So did I," he replied. "That's why we're taking Susan to a planet called Trenzalore where she'll be safe. I wanted you to meet her before we parted ways." Eleven shoved levers and pushed buttons; the TARDIS took off. Susan took this opportunity to take River aside.

"So what exactly is the nature of your relationship to my grandfather?" she asked pointedly.

"Well," River said. "It's complicated. I tend to think of myself as his most trusted confidant."

"That was my role once. I suspect he's had plenty of others besides you and me."

"Yes but he doesn't always come back for them. Most of the time, he just moves on to the next one. Otherwise, he gets lonely."

"Well then, I guess I'm glad he has you. Just don't think you're replacing my grandmother. She was very important to him."

"Really? Tell me about her."

"We're here!" Eleven called. "It's time to get going! Susan! River!" They emerged from the TARDIS onto a seemingly endless field of grass. It was a windy day with no signs of life as far as the eye could see.

"What do we do now?" Susan asked.

"I call for help," Eight replied. He reached into his satchel and took out a recorder. "I arranged with the natives that they would pick you up in one of their airships. All I have to do is play a tune on my trusty recorder and the wind will carry the sound all the way to the nearest town. That's how they'll figure out our location." He played a few notes. "And now we wait."

"You know," Jack said, "This place reminds me of a planet I visited once where you had to walk for miles and miles before you could find any hint of civilization. Eventually, I came across this old hermit. He was very nice to me. I even wound up in bed with him." Everyone stared at Jack in stunned silence. Even he seemed surprised at his candor. "Sorry, I don't usually talk like that when there are ladies present."

"As well you shouldn't," Vastra hissed. "If you lived in my time, you'd be ostracized from high society for talking like that."

"I actually did once live in your time," Jack shot back. "And let me tell you, I bedded more people in Victorian Britain than you could possibly-" Ten slapped his hand over Jack's mouth.

"You're babbling more than usual, Jack," he said. "What's gotten into you?"

"Maybe he's had too much wine," Jenny said. She turned to Vastra. "Just like I did the night I was supposed to cook goose and I lied and told you I had a migraine so you had to go out hunting instead." Jenny covered her mouth in shock as Vastra rounded on her.

"Say that again," she said menacingly, drawing her sword as she did so.

"I think I know what's happening," Eleven said. "This is Trenzalore where, according to the prophecy, no living creature can speak falsely or fail to answer. Something's preventing us from hiding our, er, true colors."

"It's probably something microscopic that travels via the wind," Eight said. "The natives told me it doesn't bother them all that much. This is one of the more peaceful planets in the universe, after all."

"I think I'm going to like living here," Susan said. "A place where there can be no secrets. Not even yours, grandfather."

"What do you mean?" Eleven asked.

"I mean even you would not be able to conceal your deepest, darkest secret. The one thing you keep hidden from everyone. Your true name."

River stepped forward. "Sweetie," she said. "If we're going to be married, at least in spirit, I think I'm entitled to know your real name." Both Eight and Ten looked as if they were ready to strangle her but Eleven stood firm. "So, what is your name?" Eleven held her hands and looked at Susan who nodded. He turned back to River and whispered into her ear. Suddenly, the wind that had been howling ever since their arrival died down. Everything was still. There was not a sound to be heard.

"What happened?" Vastra asked.

"I think it's a sign," Eleven said. "Silence has fallen." He smiled, as did River.

"So that's what you've been holding back all this time?" she asked. "But why? It's such a nice name."

"I don't mean to interrupt but I think it's time to say goodbye," Eight said. He pointed towards an airship that was landing near the TARDIS.

"I'll miss you, grandfather," Susan said, hugging each of the Doctors in turn. "But will I ever see you again?"

"That's impossible to say," Eleven replied. "Besides, you never know which one of me might turn up." Everyone laughed at that. Susan took her place on the airship and waved goodbye. The others waved back at her as the ship took off, flew away and eventually disappeared into the sky.

"Doctor?" Jenny asked suddenly. "What is that thing coming towards us?" She pointed to a metallic object that was hurtling through the atmosphere. All three Doctors recognized it immediately.

"It's a Dalek!" they cried simultaneously. Everyone looked terrified but Eleven acted quickly. He tossed the sonic screwdriver to Ten.

"I think it's time to get Jack's vortex manipulator working again," he said. "This is definitely an emergency!" Ten grabbed Jack's arm and promptly fixed the wristband. "Jack," Eleven continued, "I'm counting on you to get everyone back where they belong." Jack nodded.

"What about you?" River said tearfully.

"I'm sorry, River," Eleven said, choking up a bit. "I don't have a choice. This is it." River reluctantly joined hands with the others as Jack input the coordinates that would take them to safety. A moment later they vanished. By this time, the Dalek had landed and was making its way towards the Doctor.

"DOC-TOR!" it said, its eyestalk pointing directly at its target. "THE PRESCENCE OF A TIME LORD WAS DETECTED ON THIS PLANET. IMPOSSIBLE! IMPOSSIBLE! WE EXTERMINATED EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!"

"Of course," the Doctor said knowingly. "In this version of reality, you won the war because I wasn't there to stop you. But that'll change just as soon as my eighth self is returned to his proper time stream. You _will _be defeated. I know because I've already done it. So whatever happens now won't really matter in the long run."

"SILENCE!" the Dalek screamed. "MY ORDERS ARE TO EXTERMINATE YOU! THERE IS NO ESCAPE, DOC-TOR!"

"Yes. But that doesn't mean this is the end-"

"EXTERMINATE!" The blast of energy hit the Doctor straight on. He fell onto the grass and lay still. The Dalek flew off, confident that its orders had been carried out. But the Doctor's eyes opened gradually and he managed to steady himself enough so that he could crawl his way back to the TARDIS. He pushed the doors open, closed them again and crawled to the console. He pressed the necessary buttons and the TARDIS was in flight once more. Using the railing as a crutch, he stood up and gazed upon the control room through his eleventh pair of eyes one last time. He wondered with amusement what his companion would make of his new appearance. That, at least, gave him something to look forward to.

"I'm ready to go now," he said softly and regenerated into Twelve.

THE DOCTOR  
MATT SMITH  
DAVID TENNANT  
PAUL McGANN

RIVER SONG  
ALEX KINGSTON

CAPTAIN JACK HARKNESS  
JOHN BARROWMAN

SUSAN  
CAROLE ANN FORD

MADAME VASTRA  
NEVE McINTOSH

JENNY  
CATRIN STEWART

DALEK VOICE  
NICHOLAS BRIGGS

DALEK OPERATOR  
BARNABY EDWARDS

AND INTRODUCING  
HELENA BONHAM CARTER  
AS THE  
TERRRIBLE ZODIN


End file.
